Hand Shows It's Back On Track With Semifinal Win

EAST HARTFORD — – Hand-Madison peaked in Week 5 with its 40-20 victory to end the 30-game winning streak of Xavier-Middletown, then the No. 1 in The Courant state ratings. With the victory the Tigers were the new No. 1, but then they had a mini slump.

Sure Hand kept winning, but it wasn't as sharp. "It was natural for that to happen," defensive end Peter Gerson said. "You're at such an emotional-physical peak and then you just aren't quite as good."

The unfortunate news for No. 2 seed Windsor, Hand's opponent in the Class L title game at 5:35 p.m. Saturday at Rentschler Field, is Hand played at the same level Sunday.

The top seed scored touchdowns on its first play, a 74-yard pass from Brendan Bilcheck to Caleb Ewald, and on its next four possessions in a 42-23 semifinal victory over No. 4 Masuk-Monroe. Bilcheck passed for 303 yards, and Ewald had 224 on six receptions. They did not play in the second half.

"We went downhill, yes, after Xavier," Hand coach Steve Filippone said Monday at the CIAC championships media session at the Rent. "Thank goodness we're back. They're back playing at a level that was commensurate with what they did at Xavier."

Filippone and his 12-0 team, the defending L champion, have plenty of respect for Windsor (11-0). "They're athletic, skilled, fast and physical," he said. "On defense they have a great end [Cole Ormsby] who's going to get his sacks and tackles. What we have to try to do is to put him and other defensive players in situations where they might not be as successful."

"So if we throw quick passes, maybe we can negate what he does. But that's better said than done. You don't get to the title game on luck. Every team here deserves to be here. But I like where we are right now."

Ansonia Vs. North Branford

Arkeel Newsome ran for 364 yards and three TDs in Ansonia's 38-0 Class M title romp over Ledyard at the Rent last year."The field was sandy in spots last year; I like turf or a quicker field," he said.

The Rent looked in better shape Monday than for last year's high school finals. That's not good news for North Branford, Ansonia's foe in the Class S final at 10:35 a.m. Saturday.

Newsome, a junior, continues on his great run this year. He had 213 yards, though he saw many minutes on the bench in the last half quarter Sunday when the Chargers trounced Hyde 41-13 in a semifinal. His four TDs set the state career record of 116.

This was just another record for Newsome. In the M finale last year he set the state season rushing record of 3,763 yards. "No one means more than the other; all I want is to play my best for my team," said Newsome, whose favorite college team in Florida.

Berlin Vs. Hillhouse

After suffering one "hiccup," No. 2 Berlin (11-1) has steadied itself. The result is a Class M title matchup against No. 4 Hillhouse-New Haven (10-2) Saturday at 2:05 p.m.

Berlin lost at home to Platt-Meriden 34-14 on Nov. 2. "We had our hiccup," Berlin coach John Capodice said. "Our kids were 7-0 ranked in the top 10 [No. 8 in The Courant state ratings] and they acted like 16-17 year-olds. They didn't listen to the coaches."

The players did listen to Capodice the next morning. The message was simple: listen to the coaches, don't be complacent, focus and play to your capabilities.

The Redcoats have done that, winning their last four games against Bloomfield and New Britain to end the regular season and No. 7 Bullard Havens-Bridgeport (41-14) and No. 6 Weston (21-7) in the playoffs.

. . . Norwich Free Academy's Joey Paparelli will be a slot back next fall at Bryant University. But at 7:05 p.m. Friday, he'll be the quarterback against No. 3 Xavier in the LL championship. "I like having the ball in my hands every play on offense," he said. "I like the challenge." He rushed for 102 yards for No. 5 NFA (12-0) in its 30-28 upset of No. 2 Staples-Westport on Sunday. He has over 800 yards for the year and over 700 passing. His productivity makes him a chief defensive concern.